Gaara's Monster
by TheDesertedFox
Summary: Monster, How should I feel? Creatures Lie here, Looking through the Window! ((Long Songfic- main song will be Monster- Meg and Dia; Main Pairing GaaxOc somewhat Dark Gaara; other possible songs- World so Cold- 12 Stones; Wheres my Wonderland- BOTDF. M for extreme Bloodshed))
1. My Monster

**My Monster**

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Gaara looked at his hands; he saw the blood that no one else could. His regret was tempered by Shukaku writing in pleasure at the blood that stained the sand around him, everyone who crossed the boy died no one loved this child born from sin.

_His little whispers; love me love me. That's all I ask for; love me love me._

All Gaara wanted was a kind soul to return the love that Gaara was sure he could give.

"Gaara?" came his sister's tentative whisper; her eyes wide at the blood stained sand around him. He looked away the bloodied sand filtering clean back into his gourd; dropping the blood with a warm sickening splash. Why couldn't his sister love him? All she saw was the monster within him… "Daddy says to come home and get ready for dinner. The Konoha ambassador and his daughter are here…"

"Whatever," Came Gaara's lifeless drone. His voice held no emotion. Not since the night he received his brand.

_He battered his tiny fists; to feel something. Wandered what it's like to touch and feel something…_

Gaara snarled and put on fist through the wall; his gaze icy cold. His father the great Hero of Suna Hiro Kaze couldn't even keep the hatred out of his eyes when he looks at his son…

_Monster how should I feel? Creatures lie here looking through the windows._

He knew like Temari when his father looked at him all he saw was the Shukaku.

"G-Gaara-sama?" a servant's tiny whimper sounded from the doorway. Gaara's anger was barley bridled at her intrusion.

"What do you want Mikoto?' he snarled. She whimpered and stammered out:

"L-Lord H-Hiro said y-you have to c-come down for d-dinner." Her green eyes were wide in terror. It was sickening to Gaara that a grown woman was this fearful of a small ten year old boy. He raised a hand and the cork of his gourd popped off breaking a mirror and sand wrapped around Mikoto and slammed her against the opposite wall eliciting a panicked shriek of terror from her. He walked over to her and put his hand on her face; the sand that coated his skin slicing easily through her soft oily skin;

"You as a human have every right to fear me Mikoto. But don't worry I won't kill you yet." The sand dropped her and flew back to his gourd faster than light and he snarled; "Get out of my sight." The girl whimpered and got up running away from the boy.

In the dining room a dark haired man's head snapped up at the shriek; but Hiro growled out;

"It's just a servant. They fear my youngest son… if it was Mikoto she might still be alive."

"She… _might_be alive?" the male growled.

"My son had blood thirst and I would rather him kill the servants than my ninja or civilians." Hiro let his lip twitch.

"Da-daddy…" a small girl stood by the dark haired man; she wore a plain black long sleeved shirt and long pants with a red dragon design that matched the flaming shade of her hair. A silver necklace hung around her neck; it was beaded and had an upside-down circle with a circle around it..

"What's wring Ryoko?' the dark haired man asked and lifted her up, she buried her face in his shoulder;

"I'm scared Daddy. I smell him… he smells like blood and warm sand."

"Don't worry Ryoko. Daddy won't let anything happen to you" she smiled at him

Ryoko and her father were alike in many ways; she took a little after her deceased mother; having the faded violet pupiless eyes. Her father didn't believe in Jashinism like Ryoko's mother did. But he did have the same rusty red hair that lit up like fire in the sunlight.

A boy walked down; he had similarly red hair to the two; but it wasn't rusty or fiery; it was the deep crimson of blood. He wasn't much bigger than Ryoko but he wore a large heavy gourd on his back that had seals and cracks in it; it shuddered slightly as it there was a sand storm raging within its thin walls. He wore simple nin garb; different from most suna nin but the Konoha ambassador assumed that this was because he was different; with the abnormal bloody hair and black ringed teal eyes; he stood out anyway with his brother and father with their messy brown hair and dark brown eyes and sister with the short sandy blonde hair and honey eyes. His skin was paler too. Not one scar although he knew the child and his brother and sister should have been out on missions. His baggy black pants and tight black and net shirt had no dirt and no rips; unusual for living in a place full of dust and cruel elements.

Gaara looked at the two Konoha Nin. Their hair… like fire... he looked at the girl and his eyes darkened. She had pretty faded pink eyes; and her necklace gleamed in the light. He wondered what her blood would look like… what it would feel like between his fingers… warm or cold?

"Gaara, why are you wearing that filthy outfit? I thought I told you that you were to wear formal clothing and leave that gourd upstairs." Hiro growled. The Ambassador was surprised y the raw hatred in the man's voice for his son. The boy shot a glare at hi8s father shutting him up. The glare was one of those if-looks-could-kill-you'd-already-be-dead looks. He shuddered then smiled at the boy;

'Gaara-sama, it is nice to meet you I am Hakuro Miotsu." he smiled then gestured to his daughter standing behind him; "This is my daughter Ryoko." Gaara looked at Ryoko who tentatively walked up to Gaara and bowed slightly;

'Hello Gaara-sama." She whispered. He leaned over and growled;

'hello Pet." His voice was a quiet hiss that only she could hear; it sent shivers down her spine. She didn't know why; but she liked it.

They all had dinner together and spoke of politics. Gaara didn't eat the food that sat before him; instead he watched Ryoko like she was food; it both scared the small ten year old jashinist; and exited her, no one in Konoha looked at her with such… possessiveness.

Later that night; Gaara sat on the roof watching the moon like usual. Shukaku whispered things to him. About the girl. The Dragon of Jashin. Gaara growled softly and stood he went back into the house and crept into the room where Ryoko slept.

_That night he caged her, Bruised and broke her_

Gaara closed the door behind him as sand whipped forward creating a cage around him and the girl. His girl. His Dragon.

_He struggled closer then he stole her_

Gaara walked forward with a gleam in his eyes. He heard her quick breathing. She was awake; he was very surprised she hadn't screamed yet. he saw the frightened glow of her violet eyes and grabbed her wrists hard and pinned them above her head; sand wrapped around her ankles pinning her down. She let out a frightened whimper,

"Don't hurt me… please…" she yelped out quietly.

'Don't worry Pet. Your special. You belong to me."

_Violet wrists and then her ankles Silent Pain_

He placed a hand under her shirt on her stomach just under her right rib. Sand swirled under his hand; she screamed in pain just before sand clamped over her mouth- no one heart her.

'Shh… Pet its aright the pain will fade. But you will never escape me." He pushed chakra through the new bright red brand he had placed on her waist; a match to his own; it said Love in bright red against her pale skin. Her eyes widened as his dark chakra coursed through her; the light washed pink of her eyes faded out into a dark fuchsia. His eyes widened at the terror that flowed through his brand to him. He didn't know that her emotions would come to him through the brand. He had never felt anything like this. He snarled and fell back at the onslaught of fear and pain that hit him. He fell to his knees and put a hand to his head.

_Then he slowly saw their nightmares were his dreams  
_It was worth it. He could keep his pet.

The next day as Hakuro was bidding Hiro goodbye; Gaara grabbed Ryoko's shoulders; and growled against her ear;

"I will come for you my pet. You will be mine. And I take care of what belongs to me." Ryoko looked up into Gaara's light sea foam teal eyes; and smiled softly,

"Good bye Gaara-kun. I will see you soon." She liked the animalistic affection and possession she saw in his eyes. She turned and walked away with her father. She had sweetly asked him to go shopping before they left; and he had agreed. They had come back with him looking exceedingly disgruntled. She wore a long sleeved shirt that stopped just under her developing breast and a net undershirt that showed the brand on her waist. She had kept her black pants and nin boots. Gaara had smiled. His chakra had done its job already turning her into a more outgoing girl; though from what he knew about; as a Jashinist she would have become this way eventually. As they walked away he gave an animalistic grin and ignored his father's glare of hatred. He felt the anticipation glowing from the bond of his Brand from Ryoko. He like her was exited for their next meeting.

_Monster, how should I feel? Creatures lie here Looking through the windows I will Hear their voices I'm a glass child, I am Hannah's regrets  
Monster, How should I feel? Turn the sheets down Murder ears with pillow lace there's bath tubs Full of glow flies Bathe in kerosene their words tattooed in his veins, yeah!_

**_So here you go; prologue of Gaara's Monster. I hope you guys like it… but don't forget to give my other stories some love! The Fox is Out~!_**


	2. Gennin Initiation

**_Thanks Ms. Ryan! I'm glad you like my stories. - Fox_**

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Genin Initiation

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Suna Village

Gaara sat on the bench with his brother and sister as their new sensei paced in front of them explaining the objective of the test to become a genin.

"But… Baki we already took the test!" Kankuro snarled; looking not at all threatening with his face paint and cat eared hat.

"That was solely to see if you were smart enough. Now we will see if you are intelligent enough." Baki snapped back.

"What is the difference?" Temari growled out. Gaara just sat with a stolid expression staring at one of the few trees in the desert. He leaned against the huge gourd and let his thick monotone voice flow;

"It's simple. If you are smart you can remember something; but intelligence is being able to apply what you learn"

"Well I can tell who the brain in this family is." Baki growled. 'Now, you three will have to get the bells off my wis-"he was cut off as he was suddenly slammed into a tree and the bells left on the ground next to him. Three small silver baubles that jingled as Gaara picked them up; his sand squeezing Baki into the tree as he tossed on to Temari and one to Kankuro. Kankuro grinned and walked over to Gaara and held out his hand; Gaara studied it for a second and let his mouth twitch into a smile and touched knuckles with him. See; Gaara wasn't as stolid as before; he didn't kill worthlessly now; the emotions pouring to him through the seal he had placed on the girl four years ago; Ryoko kept him civil; and let him feel compassion and love for his siblings.

Konoha Village

Ryoko frowned as her name was called- with three other names: Sakura Haruno Naruto Uzimaki and Sasuke Uchiha. One; Kakashi had explained would have to fail for sure. Ryoko looked at her teammates; there was Naruto; loud and obnoxious but strangely foxlike with a very powerful scent about him. She knew he was important. Sasuke Uchiha: dark Stolid and brooding. She was reminded of another boy for a second with the same need to get stronger and prove himself. Immediately her hand went to her waist… Gaara no Sabaku… her personal monster. She let her fingers brush her skin where the dark red scar in the shape of the love kanji was; tracing the grooved skin through the thin mesh of her undershirt. She shook her head. She couldn't let thoughts of a boy she would never see again cloud her mind. She was alone now; she needed her strength in battle. She let her bright violet eyes slide over to the pink haired banshee and shook her head; her crimson locks passing over her eyes. Sakura would fail she could tell as she watched the coral haired female hang herself around the Stoic ravens neck. Kakashi then appeared in front of them; removed the pinky from Sasuke- the latter shooting the sensei a thankful look- then Kakashi returned to explaining the bell test. Ryoko smirked she immediately understood and pulled her three bladed scythe off her back. It was a beautiful tool; eight feet tall with a single three foot curve blade at the end carved from a dragon's shoulder blade; the edge gleamed sharp, a wolf's skull was grafted to the back of said scythe blade. The ebony shaft was carved with the symbol of jashin. She stood and watched as Naruto failed to attack Kakashi.

Kakashi dodged Naruto and looked at the flame haired girl standing with her large threatening scythe propped up next to her, the long dangerous blade curving over her head, it was quite the impressive tool, she frowned and shot a look at the dunderhead who was attacking him blindly, and he immediately sobered- And flickered away in a swirl of wind, An elemental justu? She gave him a maniacal grin and body flickered, her form turning to shadows and dissolving into light. The Miotsu family was strange. Then he remembered- the Miotsu family had a Shadow Keikei Genkai- bloodline limit. He looked towards the north where he knew Sasuke had been hiding, and heard him yelp indignantly as Ryoko dragged him deeper into the forest. He nodded smiling under his mask; maybe this would be interesting after all.

Sasuke snarled and thrashed as he was drug over the underbrush of the training forest; he was furious but he didn't like the look of that scythe, so he refrained from attacking. She dropped him in front of the blonde dunce.

"Ryoko-hime! What's the plan?" Naruto grinned foxily, keeping his voice down.

"If teme here will listen, we will win." Ryoko sat down on a log and leaned her scythe on her legs and brought out a strange looking block and began rubbing it along the scythe. Sasuke noticed the edge of the stone was lined with bits of diamonds.

"What do you want meisu?" Sasuke snarled as he stood. Naruto stood but it was too late to attack. Ryoko stood with the speed of the shadows disappearing under the sunrise, the wolfen skull on her scythe made contact with Sasuke's skull with a nasty crack and he fell back and she placed the engraved staff of the scythe on his chest and pressed, he felt the edge of a blade peaking from the end of the scythe,

"You'd better watch yourself teme. If you wish to become a genin listen to me. If not you can leave, the point is teamwork. You can go join up with your shofu if you like." She sneered the last as Sasuke's eyes lit up with anger.

"Fine meisu. What is your plan?" Sasuke snarled as Ryoko grinned with glee.

Kakashi stood at a trek watching Naruto dangle as he was caught in a trap. This boy was pathetic, couldn't even listen to the orders of the obviously smartest of the team. Ryoko and Naruto had walked out of the forest together arguing, when said blonde had seen him he attacked as Ryoko was yelling for him to stop. He shook his head, but then gasped as a cold shiny object was pressed against his clothed throat. A huge white scythe was now against his throat, the hollow eyes of the wolf skull staring at him. He now realized why the skull was there. The bones of the skull were highly reinforced to create a thick hard surface like a cudgel, and staring into the eyes and seeing the sharply polished teeth of the skull sent shivers down his spine, he was the owner of the Nin Dog Scroll; and he knew that if she were to fight an Inuzuka; she would win mostly from fear factor. Kakashi was surprised further when she appeared in front of her again, his one eye widened as she weaved hand signs faster than he could follow, but it was too late when he realized that she was wearing a genjustu… an illusionary technique,

**_"Kage Kyofu Oni no Genjustu!" _** she growled, the scythe and figure behind him dissolved into shadows revealing Sasuke holding a Kunai against Kakashi's throat just before the illusion was woven; a Shadow Henge. Kakashi begun to shake as his world became dark, he watched as Obito and Rin died before him again; Minato fell under the claws of the Kyuubi, he relived his worst memories; saw his worst fear all over again.

Ryoko and Naruto walked out of the forest and watched as Kakashi began to scream in terror, Naruto's clone in the tree being dispelled.

"What did you do meisu?" Sasuke's eyes were wide, Naruto looked away.

"She used a very fear inducing genjustu." Naruto said quietly. When he had first met Ryoko she had put him under it in anger… it was terrifying. She frowned and nodded to Sasuke, and followed him as he cut the bells from his belt, and Ryoko dispelled the genjustu. Kakashi came round a few moments later heavily shaken, eyes haunted.

"Well you seemed to understand the point… you three pass… Sakura I know your there, you fail." He croaked into the trees then walked away to give his report.

"Well meisu, you're not half bad." Ryoko and Naruto had already began to accept that as they called him Teme, he called them Dobe and Meisu.

"Come-on Teme, Ryoko Hime, let's go eat!"

"Alright Naru-kitsu, come on Teme." She smiled and walked after the blonde to the ramen stand. Sasuke tipped his head, his new team mates were odd… but ok.

* * *

Things you may already know:

Teme- Bastard

Kitsu- short for Fox

Meisu- bitch

Hime- princess

Shofu- whore (I refer to Sakura as this through-out this story)

**_Kage Kyofu Oni no Genjustu_**- Shadow Fear Demon Illusionary Technique; one I made up it shrouds the victims vision in darkness and makes them see their worst fears and worst memories.

**P.S: I really like this story and am very proud of it… id appreciate no flamers!**


	3. Waves Mission

The Waves mission

(There will only be little parts of the wave's mission.)

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Ryoko growled as her Scythe sliced through water and the Demon of the Most soaked into the ground. She was furious with herself for having not noticed the demon's presence.

_Flashback-_

_Ryoko was walking behind the smelly old oaf. She wrinkled her over sensitive nose in disgust at his scent of mixed alcohol tobacco and BO. Kakashi snarled out the order: DUCK! Ryoko dove forward and pinned Tanzua against the tree as a huge Zanbato cleaved through the tail of her jacket and into her back. She gasped and spat blood on Tanzua's face by accident. She grinned, her sharp teeth stained with blood frightening the older man,_

_"Sorry Tanzua-san." She turned around and pulled the sword from her back, it was taller than her, about as long as her scythe. She ran her finger along the bloodied blade. "Momochi, this is an Impressive blade, but mine is right up there with Hoshigaki's in fear factor, ne? You've fought with Sushi no?" _

_"Not many can stand after a hit from the Head Cleaver, Kitten." Zabuza Momochi stepped from the shadows, "If you hadn't got in my way with your families stupid **Kage Ryu Hakori Yori. **(Shadow Dragon Scale Armor)"_

_"Oh! You have spoken to Sushi since I last saw him! He isn't still thinking of joining that accursed Akatsuki ne?" Ryoko grinned, as if she were speaking with an old friend._

_"I wouldn't know. Return my sword, little girl." Zabuza growled._

_"Nah I think I'll fight you for it. How the bounty hunters will pay for your head." She picked up her scythe from the ground where she dropped it in her haste to protect Tanzua. She placed the Scythe on the ground, holding it upright, the wolf skull facing Zabuza, a wave of killing intent rippled from the girl, causing Kakashi to shrink against a tree, Naruto and Sasuke passed out, Tanzua pissed himself as he went unconscious. Zabuza's eyes widened as the empty sockets of the skull seemed to glow with darkness, the KI directed at him made him shiver in fear. This Gennin was more than she seemed. "If you can find a way to break my Shadow dome, you can have your stupid sword" she reached out with her hand and a shadow entwined around the sword._

_End flashback_

Somewhere nearby-

The sound of the body dragging was calming to the red head. He was walking behind the three others, his brother sister and sensei- not that the sensei was a sensei in the roughest terms. All he was was a babysitter, to try and help Gaara if he lost control. He frowned the feelings coming through his bond with Ryoko were confusing… fear pain… adrenaline filled power.

"Kankuro, Temari." He growled. Both the elder siblings looked back; they recognized the strained look that their brother's face was wearing. Kankuro walked back and put his hand on his shoulders,

"She's going to be ok, Gaara." Kankuro then jumped back when Gaara's yes went wide, and he hissed. Pain had exploded through the bond, and fear beyond any had ever come through before. Immediately he ran off in the direction of the village. Kankuro and Temari looked at Baki, who was standing there with the body slung over his shoulder,

"We have to go after him Baki. We will meet you at the bounty collection." They leaped after Gaara as he raced ahead at jounnen speeds.

Back with Ryoko

The Zanbato had been taken back as a clone had feinted towards Naruto; the clone was abolished with a swipe of the scythe. But as she was pulling back the Zanbato hit her back. It had driven down to her ribs and through muscles. She growled and drove a kunai into his leg as he pulled it out.

"That hurt bastard." She growled as she pulled the kunai from his leg. She jumped away, and grinned, "Ill show it back to you." She placed her foot in a splat of her blood and dragged it until she had made a circle then a triangle inside. She licked the kunai consuming his blood. Her eyes darkened nearly red, her skin became black as night and red tendrils appeared framing her eyes and mouth, curving around her belly and arms, looking kind of like a skeleton. She grinned and plunged the kunai into her belly, Zabuza gasped as a wide hole opened in his stomach. She grinned and hissed out, "how do you like your pain?" Zabuza screamed as she twisted the kunai around, digging deep into her stomach, his wound opened further, dripping large drops of crimson blood.

"Ryoko...?" Kakashi had been knocked out at some point and woke to watch Zabuza frozen and screaming as Ryoko drove her kunai deep into her belly. She dragged the kunai up, opening a deep long gash in Zabuza's belly. She giggled, and swayed obviously dizzy from chakra loss. Kakashi tried to get up, but could not. Suddenly though, a man appeared behind Ryoko. He was huge wearing a white rob that's collar rose to cover most his face, this robe also had swirls of green on it.

"Kitten, that is enough, you will fall soon if you don't release him." The large man rumbled, his huge sword on his back seemed to squirm in assent. Another boy appeared too. He was taller than Ryoko, meaning he was about the same size as Naruto, but obviously stronger by the look of the gigantic gourd on his back. Kakashi noticed from his vintage point that this one was a Suna gennin, who had the same marking on his forehead that Ryoko had on her waist.

"Ryoko –hime." The red haired boy growled seeing her covered in blood. His teal eyes flashed in anger as she collapsed against the large man.

"Hey Kitten your alright, remember you can't die." The large man's voice was tight in fear. The bondthat allowed Gaara to feel Ryoko went dark. He snarled and turned to the bloody man gasping on his knees. He walked over to the man and gripped his hair and pulled his heads back to look him in the eyes. It was like looking at death. No, it was like looking into the eyes of Cerberus, the girl. The girl was death.

"You will die slowly." He snarled. Sand whipped around him, and curled around each of Zabuza's limbs, and lifted him up. Three senbon came from nowhere and killed Zabuza hitting him in the throat. A small hunter Nin came from the trees and looked at Gaara,

"I will take it from here, Suna ninja."

"I will make sure he is dead." Gaara growled and each tendril of sand jerked and both arms legs and the head were popped off. The hunter Nin gasped and started shaking as her master's blood spattered over her. Gaara's sand went back to his gourd the blood filtering off with a warm splatter. He picked up the head and turned to Kakashi,

"I will mail you your bounty. Seeing as you are in no shape to turn in yourself." He growled. Kakashi was able to pick himself up enough to lean on a tree.

"Who... Are you? How did you know how Ryoko needed help?"

"I am Gaara no Sabaku… Ryoko belongs to me. I take care of what belongs to me." The boy body flickered away.

"Kitten has a protector it seems." The large man had woken Sasuke and Naruto with smelling salts, and Tanzua was being carried between the two shaken boys. Kakashi tried to take a step towards the man but nearly fell. The man was able to stop him from falling. "My name is Kisame Hoshigaki, I have been watching over Ryoko since her father died- I made her scythe for her."

"So... You must be who she calls Sushi?" Kakashi asked seeing his blue skin. Said blue skin turned a purplish color.

"Still calls me that eh? Oh well show me where you need to go. In fact ill return to Konaha with you. I was on my way to see if I could join the Konaha jounnen anyway."

- Excuse typos please, I've looked over it but I'm not sure I've fixed everything. I separated my shoulder… so its difficult to type with one hand.-


	4. The Waking

The Waking

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Ryoko opened her eyes blearily. The light burned and she groaned.

"Ah the kitten awakes!" a familiar voice growled well naturedly.

"Kisa-kyoshi!" She tried to jump up to greet her old teacher, but gasped and nearly passed out from the pain that cut across her back, and the dream like memory of her fight with Zabuza commenced. She remembered the wound she took before she entered the cursed form and whimpered.

"Hey there Kitten, you're alright." Kisame smiled and helped her stand. She blushed a little at the fact she was wearing her bindings, bandages and nin pants, but remembered that her Kyoshi had seen her in worse many times after training sessions. "Guess what Kitten, that jacket of yours was returned fixed with a very interesting note." Kisame helped her sit and handed her a piece of brown paper with an envelope attached. The note read: _My Pet, you must be more careful. Due to the distance that separates us, I cannot always be there to rescue you Hime. Please be more careful. –Sabaku no Gaara. _It was like she could hear his gravely warm voice whispering in her ear and her breath hitched. She opened the envelope to find 9,943,000 ryo. She gasped then winced in pain.

"That's a lot of Ryo. But why?" Ryoko breathed. A horrible thought reached her head, what if Gaara felt he had to pay her to be his?

"That is the bounty for killing Zabuza." Kisame's voice was flat. "Gaara dealt the death blow, but you weakened him."

"I'm sorry Kisa-kyoshi… I know you two were once friends." Ryoko placed a hand on his arm.

"He went bad… it was his consequence. Now, there is a beautiful woman downstairs cooking food for you. And I think either Gaara has a sister or he's good at sewing, because that jacket looks perfectly new." Ryoko looked at the jacket, and pursed her lips. It was new. And exactly the same as the old one, except for a dragon wing etching on the back that bladed due to the fact that the etching and the fabric were nearly the same shades of black. This was an expensive jacket.

"Yeah. Good as new…" she trailed off and slipped on her mesh armor then her jacket. She picked up her scythe, frowning that the back edge had been slightly chipped. She had wanted to add some to it, but was advised to wait untill she had the money for the dragons bone, since she had received the bounty for Zabuza. She decided she would wait untill the chunin exams.

"Do you need help fixing Inuhane?" Kisame voiced her concerns.

"No. I was planning on adding more to it, something to make it more deadly, but I'll wait till the chunin exams." At this Kisame looked puzzled. Ryoko answered his unasked question: "I would need to infuse a lot of chakra into the new bones to graft them perfectly to where ever I'm adding the extra, and I am still a young gennin, and Lord Jashin hasn't granted me the ability of perfect immortality yet, I haven't completed a perfect sacrifice of a tainted soul. I don't want to risk what the draining might do to me." Ryoko doubted her Lord would allow her to die, considering she had been born under his hand, but you should never underestimate the God of Death. ((A/N: I know Jashin is Evil but for my purposes, he is Death, and Hidan is tainted.)) The large fish-man nodded and leads her down stairs to the scent of fish.

"Really…. Fish?" Kisame raised one blue brow, causing Ryoko to giggle hysterically.

"Thought you were a shark, Sushi!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, I apologize Kisame-sama; the fish is for Princess Mitsuri." The woman blushed, "I made you dumplings and rice."

"Oh that's kind of you Tsunami-chan." Kisame smiled at her, toning down his jagged smile a little. Ryoko growled,

"Don't, call me princess. Do I look like a Jashin- be-damned princes?" her voice was a snarl, and then he gasped, pain vaulting through the still not healed gash in her back. She grumbled something about finding Kakashi and the boys.

"Wh… what did I do wrong?" Tsunami asked Kisame.

"Ryoko-Hime is special. She is the last female of the Mitsuri clan, and her father was the clan leader. After he died, she renounced her position, having never wanted the title of clan head anyway. Her goal since she was nine was to become an exchange nin and leave to Suna. I have heard that something odd went on between the Kazekage's son and her. She is bound to the Demon Boy as his mate." Kisame explained. Tsunami looked highly puzzled and thought of her little boy and couldn't fathom him bound to a desert rat like that.

Ryoko was limping into the clearing, and found Naruto and Sasuke at eachother throats as usual, and even more regular- Kakashi reading his smut. Ryoko pulled out a kunai and threw it, breaking up foxy and emo's fight, and skewering Kakashi's book. But the Cyclopes perv just tossed it to the ground and pulled out another copy.

"Ryoko-Hime/Meisu!" came the double cry. Sasuke's was more surprised than relived.

"Hey boys. She smiled leaning against her staff. She charged a little chakra into it, and the long poison coated blade hidden in the end of the shaft dug into the ground, and she sat against the staff on the ground.

"Meisu? I thought you were… hurt really badly." Sasuke mumbled.

"Awe Teme said a more-than-one-syllable sentence. And for me? How SWEET." Ryoko purred. "Actually, if it weren't for Lord Jashin then I would be dead. I should have died, but it was my partial immortality as a follower of Jashin that saved me.

"Oh thank who ever that it! Ryoko-Hime is ok! Can you train? I need help with my Tee Walking. Please? I know you know how!" Naruto babbled. Ryoko smiled,

"Oh Kitu-kun. Get me a solder pill and I can." She stood, her legs shook slightly. She walked to the tree and stepped on as Naruto gave her the pill. She crunched it and felt a rush of energy of which she sent to her feet. She walked up only a few feet out of fear she could fall and re-open the gash on her back.

"See the glow at my feet? If you evenly distribute the chakra at your feet, they will adhere to the bark. But if you use too much, lie you are likely to due to your large chakra reserves, the tree will break, if you use too little like Teme is likely to due to chakra control, you will fall. It is mainly your chakra control that decides if you can or cant. I will show you to water walks soon." She explains. "Maybe Kisa-kyoshi can teach us some water elemental justu. If Teme doesn't piss him off to much."

"That's the blue man who had to retrieve Inuhane right? He said we couldn't touch it." Sasuke said. Ryoko nodded,

"Kisame created it, so it won't hurt him."

"Hurt him? But it's just a scythe." Naruto mumbled. Ryoko shook her head. Eventually, he would understand Custom weapons.


	5. The Battle

**The Battle**

|O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O. O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.|

Ryoko healed very fast, and was sparring viciously with Sasuke days later. Kisame watched with a critical blue eye, Naruto sat by him, still panting and reasonably bruised from his fight with Ryoko.

"Put more of a lunge in Sasuke. You'll never get past Ryoko's Inuhane with short strikes like that. You need to slip under her blade to land a blow." Kisame called. Sasuke growled and put more of an oomph in his attack on Ryoko, lunging, and making it under the thick sharp edge of the wolf skulled blade, only to have the cudgel like skull slam into his chest and send him into a tree.

"That was a good try Teme." Ryoko grinned, putting out her hand. The raven haired teen glowered as he took her hand and was hauled to his feet. He was sure she broke his ribs.

"Yo." Came the voice of their true sensei. "Thanks for giving me a break Kisame, I need to speak with my students now." Kakashi obviously had some trust issues. Kisame shrugged and walked away as the two bruised up students and their female teammate walked towards their teacher. "Tomorrow we believe Gato will attack. We will go, Kisame-san will stay here, and guard Tsunami-san."

"With all due respect sensei, I will stay as well. Kisame can be responsible for Tsunami, I will care for Inari." Ryoko stated. Kakashi eye smiled,

"Whatever you wish Ryoko-hime."

The next day Ryoko and Kisame waved as the rest of team seven left with Tanzua to the bridge. Ryoko spread herself out on the couch, Inuhane across her chest.

"You're not going to win you know. Gato will kill your friends, then come here and kill you and your Kyoshi." Inari growled. Suddenly with a small twitch of Ryoko's eyebrow, a wave of intense killing intent flowed over Inari. He yelped and wet himself.

"Child, I am the Shukaku's mate. A little old man doesn't scare me in the least." Ryoko hissed. Inari was silent for a few moments, he pointed to the stark red kanji on her side,

"Did he put that there?" Inari asked.

"Yes. Now go change your pants you brat. "She snapped. Inari yelped and ran out of the room, dribbling more urine on the way.

"You know kid, since Ryoko was ten she was utterly alone. I had left on a journey, then her father died. All Ryoko has had was the hope of the Sabaku child coming to get her for the last four years. Ryoko knows what it's like to be alone. A freak in her own home." Kisame growled as the boy passed him. Inari paused, then continued on.

Ryoko had dozed as two men slipped silently into the home. The first thing they saw was a young ninja with a shapely body for her age, sparsly dressed in her mesh and ninpants. The grinned to themselves, she would be a prize kept to their self. One walked to her, already untying the rope around his waist. Suddenly said girl opened her eyes, dark fuchsia eyes glowed at him and a scythe appeared out of nowhere, the end slammed on the ground and he found himself staring into the dark pitiless eyes of a wolf's skull.

"Bad choice mister. I belong to the Raccoon Dog." Ryoko growled.

From the dining room where Tsunami and Kisame sat talking came a scream. They both leapt to their feet and ran to the living room to find it bathed in blood, Ryoko standing in the middle of it her black cloths stained crimson and the bone-white blade of her scythe nearly black with the blood.

"Oh my god…" Tsunami turned slightly green. Kisame frowned,

"Kitten?" the jashinist didn't turn, instead she growled out,

"Kakashi need our help. Tsunami and Inari will be safe now." With that Ryoko turned and ran out the still open door, leaving a trail of blood. Kisame turned to Tsunami,

"Take Inari and hide in the attic. We will come and get you when it's safe. Kitten is slightly unstable at this moment." Kisame turned to follow his student.

At the bridge, Gato's men were attacking Naruto and Kakashi, and Ryoko was coming full throttle, blasting through a dome of ice. Sasuke was already unconscious.

"Come here little Usagi… I won't eat you… ill only kill you painfully slowly like I did your master. I got tonnes of money from him, how much will I get from you? Little Usagi." Ryoko hissed. Her body was coated in her Shadow Armor, she wouldn't get injured until she was in her cursed form. She saw her opening as the girl lunged for her with her needles, and lashed out with a kunai, catching her ankle with a drop of blood to consume. She licked it up, and drew her sign, her skin turned black with the red skeletal swirls. For the first time since she was a small child, Haku was afraid. Even through her fear, Haku still attack, throwing her senbons at the girl, who just laughed manically as the needles drove into fatal areas,

"Little Usagi, you can't hurt me! I am under the Lord Jashin!" Ryoko growled, "Come down and fight me like a real ninja, or ill begin your death."

Haku hesitated, and lowered the barrier. Ryoko yelled out, "Kisame! Get Teme out of here will I stall the little Usagi." the blue man darted over and drug the raven boy away, while Haku walked up to Ryoko.

"I don't need to kill you, Dragon. You can back down now." Haku droned.

"Ha! If I am Dragon, I you will be my first sacrifice! Little Rabbit" Ryoko sneered. Haku darted forward, and Ryoko drover her scythe into her own belly. Haku gasped and fell to her knees coughing up her own blood, she tore off her mask, so not to suffocate in he own life liquids. Ryoko kneeled and while her adversary was in capitated she prayed, her voice became hoarse and strong,

_"Oh Jashin, Holder of Death, Granter of Immortality, take this tainted soul and clean it, grant my Gift I Beg. Her soul is tarnished, you alone can decide to clean her."_

With that, a black chakra formed above Ryoko's crouching form. It took the form of a man with large tattered dragon's wings,

**_"My Ryoko, Dragon, you have served me well, a young follower, one of few, who follows true to the old ways. I will gift you with Immortality, as well as my wings. Your Cursed Form will be beautiful, My Dragoness. You now, have the Sight, and I believe his girl can be saved. Cleanse her with your sacrifice."_** With that the glowing form dispersed, and Ryoko looked up, her eyes were bleeding, and perpetually bright red, she smiled and walked forward,

"Good luck, Usagi. Lord Jashin will clense you, and send you to Kami, to be reborn." with that, Ryoko slit her throat, and mixed her blood, with the dying Haku's. She looked up, and found everyone staring. She stood up straight, her skin was still pitch black with the red lines, she growled, a deep snarl like a dragons, wings made of shadows formed behind her, solidifying with blood red spines. "Leave this pace evil men, or The Dragon will feed on evil blood." her voice was a hiss, all the men ran, Gato was in pursuit. Ryoko rotated her wings and pushed down as she leaped up, and her body rose easily, and she bore down on Gato, flattening him under her body. She presses the blade of Inuhane o his throat, and hissed, "You won't be as lucky as Usagi, little devil. You will join Zabuza in hell." she yanked her scythe severing his head in a spray of deep red blood. She stood, and a swirl of shadows surrounded her, and when it dispersed she stood there, back to normal, but again, her eyes were blood red, they wouldn't change now. If she were to remove her jacket, the image of Jashin's Symbol would be emblazed across her shoulders.

"Let's go." she turned and walked away, leaving the rest of her team to stare after her in a mixture of fear and amazement.

Days later, Ryoko stood on the finished bridge, her Scythe was strapped to her back as she waited for Naruto to finish saying goodbye to the villagers. Tsunami and Inari were coming with.

"Ryoko-sama, Take care of my daughter will you?" Tanzua asked, "And this bridge, saved by your God, is named the Great Jashin Bridge." Ryoko nodded,

"Kisame can care for Tsunami-san just fine." Ryoko looked at the old man, "He's a good man."

"I know. But, I believe you are more capable. You showed Inari that he can be a ninja too." Tanzua smiled. Inari was coming along so he could join the Ninja Academy, and develop skills. Naruto has already taught him how to mold enough chakra to stick to walls.

"Alright." Ryoko nodded and the team set off, Mission, A-rank, completed.


	6. Chunin Exams (Part 1)

**The Chunin Exams (part 1)**

I.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O. O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.I

Ryoko and her team waited for her second sensei. It had been a good month since they returned. Inari was excelling in the Academy, good friends with Naruto's minnis, Konohamaru and the little girl and boy who followed him, Tsunami was living with Kisame, who had been appointed as the assistant sensei for their team. Ryoko noticed though, that the Joinins had been giving her odd looks. It took her only a few days to realize it was because Kakashi had told them about her episode with Jashin. They were waiting to see if she would be the best ninja, or defect.

"How are you doing kitten?" Kisame walked up to her and she forced a smiled, and growled out sarcastically,

"Just dandy! You're the only jounen that trusts me to know I won't defect just because I'm strong. That was Orochimaru. Not me. The Dragon is not a Snake." She hissed the last part.

"Hey, no one trusts me. Look what happened to Zabuza. All the Seven Swordsmen went wrong." Kisame reassured her, "But I'm ok aren't I? I will show Konoha that I'm a good guy."

What Ryoko was about to reply was cut off by a poof of smoke, exposing Kakashi. He eye smiled, 'Yo, if you want to be in the chunin exams you need to sign up today. They begin tomorrow." He handed out papers and then vanished. Ryoko smirked,

"Icha Icha is out with a new book I bet."

"Ha! Yeah Ryoko-hime! I bet we can do it. I know you can. And Teme probably can now." Naruto yelled.

"Shut it Dobe. Of course Meisu and I can. Don't know about you though. You're still a dunce." Sasuke snapped.

"Awe thank you teme0chan." Ryoko had taken to calling him Chan, on the hunch that he was homosexual. The three bickering students kept going, resulting in Ryoko chasing Naruto down the always with her scythe. She rounded a corner to find a large Suna boy clad in black with purple face paint on his face with his foot of the small and struggling Naruto. She immediately went into battle mode, holding Inuhane out in front of her, snarling out,

"Let him go kitty-boy."

"Why don't you make me pip-squeak." He laughed. A blonde girl stood behind him,

"Kankuro you're going to get us in trouble. You know he will be here soon."

Ryoko briefly wondered who 'he' was, when she felt her brand get warm and looked up to see a familiar face wreathed in blood colored hair approaching. Kankuro backed off, and Ryoko stood for a moment, frozen. _Is he here? For real? In my home?_ It only took a moment for her to drop her scythe and run at Gaara, and throw herself into his arms; he genuinely smiled and purred,

"Hello Pet. I'm glad you're ok, last I saw you, and you were in pretty bad sorts."

"Whoa, whoa. What in bloody hell is going on?" Naruto cried.

"Kitu-kun, this is Sabaku no Gaara. I've known him since I was nine. Remember I told you my goal was to become an Exchange Nin with Suna? Well it's because of Gaara." Naruto looked skeptical at Ryoko's statement. Gaara snaked his arms around Ryoko's waist and mumbled in her ear,

"You won't have to be exchanged, since you belong to me, My Pet." She blushed slightly and unwound herself,

"Have you signed up for the chunin exams yet?" she asked Gaara.

"We're on our way now." The red-head replied. She grinned and her eyes met Sasuke's, and started at the hatred he saw there. She frowned at him, a silent warning.

"Alright, come on Teme, Kitu-kun, we can go with." She turned and picked up her scythe, and fastened it in the clip that was attached to her back.

"Hime, your eyes are different?" Gaara's statement ended in a question. Ryoko grinned,

"Jashin-sama has granted me Sight, and immortality." She told him.

"What is Sight?" Gaara asked.

"I can see aura's, who is evil and who is not. I am only allowed to sacrifice Tainted souls." Gaara's eyes darkened,

:"Is mine?"

"No. not at all Gaa-kun." She smiled, "Yours is the richest gold I've seen in ages."

"Hey! Ryoko-hime! What color is mine?" Naruto yelped.

Ryoko's face darkened, "It is the darkest pitch black, darker that night." Naruto's face fell at her words, causing her to laugh, "Even if you were evil, it would be a vomit nasty green color. Yours is the yellow of the sun. Even Teme's isn't tainted." She purred to her team mates.

"Hey, Ryoko-Chan, sorry bout squishing Fox-boy." Kankuro smiled apologetically. "We didn't realize…" he trailed off, and the blonde frowned and smacked him,

"Just because she's Gaara's Life-mate doesn't mean you need to suck up to her. Idiot."

"owwieee. Tema!" he whined.

"Ha-ha…" Ryoko grinned as the siblings began to squabble.

(Slight time skip)

Gaara was glad he was seated with Ryoko. He was sure she had an awesome way to copy the answers that the other students had. Either that or she was just smart. He looked at the paper, realizing that the questions were very difficult; he created his Third eye, and then sent the answers he found to Kankuro and Temari.

Ryoko grinned and made a hand sign, a small creature, a mixture of a wolf and a dragon materialized made out of shadows. She whispered a command and it ran to an intelligent looking kid and bit it. The child yelped as the dragon-dog ran back and melded into Ryoko. The subject of her attack was disqualified. She grinned as the knowledge she gained from the child flooded through her, and she sent shadows to Naruto and Sasuke, giving them the answers as well. She smirked seeing Gaara had gotten his answers as well. The test was called to an end, Ibiki decided to intimidate the classroom.

"Now for the tenth question. You can choose to answer this, and if you miss it, you can never be a chunin. If you pass you can try again next exam." Gasps filled the room, and one kid called out,

"But there are people who' taken this before!"

"Well I wasn't boss then! So shut up kid. I make the rules here." Ibiki snarled. His gaze snapped up at Ryoko's low maniacal laugh,

"Ha… ha... you're funny Ibiki. You think you can intimidate me? Jashin's Dragon? You amuse me. Just because your head of T&I doesn't mean your intelligent. just scary. See what you can do." She sneered, her blood colored eyes glowing with her challenge. Ibiki frowned see in all the gleams in the gennin's eyes. Only a few had failed…

"Alright then Princess Mitsuri. You have helped all these kids pass. Hope you're happy with the competition." Ibiki growled.

"Oh yeah. Jashin will feed well on this Exam." She laughed manically, causing some kids to with she had failed. A crash sounded, and a shape stood in the center of the group. They realized it was a busty woman wearing a net body suit and a trench coat with violet hair.

"Ibiki! How could you. Are you getting soft?" She scolded.

"You have your little Princess to blame for that, Anko." Ibiki growled, 'She's more blood thirsty than you. Wanted plenty to pass so she could play." Even more kids shivered at his words. A whole group of gennin got up screaming and left.

"Well well little Ryoko-ryu! That's good for you. But just from me alone, this class will be cut in over half!"


	7. Chunin Exams (Part 2)

**The Chunin Exams (part 2)**

I.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O. O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.I

Team seven and Team Sabaku walked to the Forest of Death together. Temari was eyeing Sasuke and Kankuro and Naruto were arguing about battle tactics, and who could win- Naruto's Wind justu or Kankuro's puppets.

"Well, maybe we can face off in the Forest." Ryoko offered with a grin. "I bet I could beat both your asses."

"I know you could Ryoko-hime." Naruto crowed. Sasuke hmped.

"And I could beat Teme-chan too." She smirked. "Probably Kanky and Tema as well." The two Sabaku siblings and Ryoko had gotten very accustomed together.

"Shut it Gaki." Kankuro growled.

"I'll take you right here, right now Imuoto." Temari snapped.

"WE should wait till we sign our wavers Tema-shojo." Ryoko purred. They sat together under a tree, Ryoko sprawled across Gaara's lap, him playing with her hair, Temari trying to get Sasuke's attention as the Raven glared at Ryoko and Gaara, and Naruto trying to get Temari's attention while Kankuro fiddled with a wooden puppet arm.

Anko came out and handed out the wavers every ne signed without a second thought.

"Ok scum-bags! Let's converge around the tent, one team at a time, and collect your scroll. You only get a Heaven or and Earth scroll, but you need both to pass. Get your second scroll by any means necessary." Anko called. Ryoko's brain started moving,

'Alright guys, I have an idea." Ryoko grinned s Gaara's team and her team gathered, "My team will go last, and we will knock out the guards and grab all the scrolls. Anko never said that there were rules, and it was by any means necessary." Ryoko finished her plan, "we will give your team what you need, then we can work together to thin the competition."

"That's… actually good." Temari breathed, you found an intelligent girl, Gaara."

"Thanks Tema-chan" Ryoko trilled. They got their places in line, Team seven right behind Team Sabaku. When they got there Ryoko smirked, they were Kohetsu and Izumo the biggest perverts of Konoha.

"Hello boys," she purred and sat on their desk. Kohetsu's nose began to bleed and Izumo's face turned bright red, "Can't you two give a poor gennin some help? I don't know how I can get through here for five days! All I have are these two incompetent children to keep me company!" at this point Izumo's nose was bleeding as well.

"Well it's against the rules to help you during the exam, but if you wish to accompany us to the bar later, we could definitely show you a good time when you get out of the forest." Izumo purred at her, his visible eye half lidded and suggestive. Kohetsu had passed out from blood loss.

Ryoko pouted, "You're such a pervert Izumo. I'm only fourteen." Izumo's eyes widened as both Sasuke and Naruto hit him in the side of the neck.

"You sly…" he collapsed on the ground as he realized he and his partner had been played. Naruto's eyebrows rose,

"Well that was easy. Stupid pervert." He crowed quietly.

"Don't EVER do that in front of me again, Meisu. That was disgusting." Sasuke shuddered. They gathered up the scrolls, and left, Anko none the wiser.

They went to their gate to wait and Anko opened it for them, and they dashed in. Ryoko's keen sense of smell immediately picked up Gaara's heady warm scent and quickly followed it, to find them already bathed in blood.

"Geeze Gaara?" she blanched.

"They attacked up." He put his hand up in defense, "They didn't have our scroll anyway."

Ryoko shook her head and pulled out two scrolls, Gaara picked up the earth one.

"We need to choose who were going to attack. Us six at least need to pass. But we need more competition. "Temari stated.

"I already have that planned." Ryoko began drawing circles in the earth, "There is four Konoha teams, and I want to leave Gai and Shika's team untouched. I wish to fight Neji, he's been a major pain in the ass and needs to be knocked from his pedestal, and Shika needs and probably will pass, and he's a genius." She explained, "There are the two Leaf teams that will pass other than us. There's also a two rain-

"one." Gaara interjected,

"One rain team," Ryoko started back up, "two sound, a cloud and grass. We will take out both sound teams, and the cloud. Leaving us, Shika, Gai, Rain and Grass." Ryoko smiled, "Then after they will cut our numbers in half again with the preliminaries."

"That is a good plan." Kankuro stated.

"Meisu is pretty smart." Sasuke admitted begrudgingly.

"Alright. Let's get rid of the Tracking team with doggie, Buggy and the Hyuga first." Ryoko stood and they set off. Not far away Hinata, Kiba and Shino were making camp. They had no idea what hit them when a butterfly like net fell over Shino with kunai embedded into the ground, and Kiba was amused by Temari, Kankuro Naruto and Sasuke. Gaara and Ryoko walked up to the trembling Hyuga,

"Ah… wh-what are you g-g-going to do!? Na-Naruto-k-ku…"S he looked at the blond that had Kiba pinned to a tree with a kunai, the other three kids standing guard, the black shape where Shino's beetles were trying to escape.

"Hyuga, give us your scroll and you won't get hurt." Ryoko stated.

"No! Hinata don't!" Kiba yelped, Naruto had stabbed him in the leg with a kunai. He brought it over to Ryoko who grinned,

"Well Hinata is it? I will show you that I can kill your friend without even touching him." Naruto brought the kunai over, and she licked the blood off the blade, then slit her own wrist, letting the blood fall to the ground, and drew her circle. Gaara watched, impassive though Shukaku growled at the thought of his mate's blood.

Ryoko's skin went dark, and the red swirls appeared on her skin. Black tattered wings formed out of black chakra on her back, and she laughed her bloody eyes gleaming.

"Still think you can win little Hyuga? And mutt?"

"Yes! Let me go and ill beat you to a pulp!" Kiba barked. Ryoko nodded and Kankuro let him go. He ran towards her with the little white dog on his tail. She stabbed her right shoulder with the kunai and laughed as Kiba collapsed, a bloody wound opening on his shoulder. Hinata screamed and crawled over to him. He was panting, and Ryoko stabbed her thigh. He screamed again, and Hinata pulled the scroll out of his shirt, and threw it to Sasuke,

"Here! D-d-don't hu-hurt him a-anymore!" she screamed. Sasuke smirked and set the scroll on fire. Ryoko grinned, and Gaara monotone,

"Pleasure doing business with you three." And they vanished leaving the battered team to care for Kiba's wounds.

**_Well there you go. Ryoko's crazy. I won't do the others, but Oro attack will be in the next chappie, and it will be a treat! –Fox_**

**_Gaki- Brat_**

**_Shojo- little Girl_**


	8. Chunin Exams (Part 3)

**The Chunin Exams (part 3)**

I.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O. O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.I

Ryoko and Gaara had split up as to not attract attention to them selves, and Ryoko, Naruto and Sasuke were walking along the forest ground. Suddenly Sasuke looked up, and dove over Ryoko knocking her down, and yelled to Naruto,

'Move Dobe!" a tunnel of wind howled through where they once stood. Naruto was out cold against a rock. Sasuke dropped a startled Ryoko as a man walked out of the trees. He wore an obi with a purple rope tied around his waist.

"You are brave, Sasuke-kun. Now let me have Ryoko-chan." The man cooed.

"You're Orochimaru." She stated. It wasn't a question. Her eyes blazed with furry.

"Yess little dragon." He hissed.

"Ill kill you." She snarled and jumped forward, the wolf skull of her scythe swung towards the pale man called Orochimaru.

"No no Ryoko. Just because your mother was too weak for my mark doesn't mean you will be. Now, hold still little girl." He grabbed her shoulders and bit her neck. She screamed in agony as the venom like chakra flowed into her. He dropped her and she shook on the ground. Sasuke cried a war yell and lunged at the man only to be thrown back, hitting a tree hard.

"your eyes are magnificent little Uchiha. But eventually id have to give your body up. Little Ryoko here, her body would never expire. She has Jashin's immortality." He cooed to the semi conscious raven boy.

"Your wrong, bastard." Ryoko's snarl sounded from behind Orochimaru. Her skin was black and the red swirls stood out in contrast to the violet chakra that was expelling from the oddly shaped bruise on her neck. Her wigs were splayed out making her look like an avenging goddess, 'You cant take what belongs to someone else." She stabbed the snake with her scythe, and everything stopped for them. Darkness surrounded them, and when Orochimaru opened his eyes, he saw that they were in a dark cavern like area, Ryoko stood there with her scythe held defensively. She was still in her cursed form.

There was also a man standing there. Or, a fine male specimen, for he reeked with power, and his wings that mimicked Ryoko's were large, and spined. He was only wearing khaki pants, his black hair fell messily around his shoulders and his blood red eyes pierced Orochimaru to the core. This, was Jashin.

"Orochimaru, you displease me. Ryoko is my child, her soul belongs to me, and you can never own it. As your punishment, you will never be able to trade bodies with another. You know, you have a slim to none chance of being reborn. Repent, Orochimaru. Your goal has been stolen now, you can never be immortal, so stop being foolish and return to your village." Jashin spoke, and Orochimaru felt a burning pain in his core, and he screamed bloody murder. A shadow expelled from him, it was like a snake- but with Orochimaru's head.

"That would have been you, Orochimaru." Ryoko stated, she lifted her scythe as the shadow turned towards her, and slashed downward, cutting it in two. It let out a shriek, and Ryoko turned back to Orochimaru, "But no more."

Ryoko woke up to find Sasuke and Naruto still passed out and Orochimaru gone. She woke them and they asked what happened. She explained that she and Orochimaru had fought, but he left when Jashin cleansed the chakra from her system. All she had now was an odd shaped scar.

"That's good then, right Ryokko-hime?" Naruto asked.

"Id rather not have the scar, but I don't have the bastard's chakra in my system anymore." Ryoko smiled. The three gennin rested for the night and then continued on in the morning, not having far to go, they got to the tower fast, to find Gaara standing in the entrance waiting.

"What took you so long?" his voice was laced with worry, "I felt how upset you got… what happened? What's that?" he pointed to her neck.

"It's a scar. Don't know if you've ever heard of Orochimaru…" she explained what had happened and that she was OK. Gaara shook his head then lead them to where they were supposed to open their scrolls, and when they did, Iruka appeared there.

"hey, I'm glad you guys made it." Iruka explained about the preliminaries, because too many had passed. But they wouldn't begin for three more days. 'there's a cafeteria, swimming pool and training room for your guy's luxury. Don't get into trouble now." Then he vanished. Naruto immediately ran to the cafeteria, and Sasuke to the training room.

"Why don't we go swimming?" Ryoko asked. "I haven't been swimming in a while, but my dad used to take me to swim in the lake."

'Alright." Gaara complied while he followed Ryoko to the pool. When they got there she took off her jacket and shirt, and pants leaving her in nin shorts and bindings. Gaara turned slightly red and took off his gourd and shirt. He only now noticed the black brand across her back.

"What is that?' he asked. Ryoko looked at her back, and smiled,

"Jashin's mark."

"hat is it though?" Gaara wished for her to explain more.

"It is a mark that the Lord Jashin places on his children when they make their first sacrifice. He claims their soul as his, and no one can take it." She grinned as she slid into the pool, "Hence, Orochimaru couldn't take me. Sadly, when he tried to take my mother; she was sick and his chakra killed her before Jashin could save her."

"How do you become a Jashinist?" Gaara asked, intrigued.

"Well, I was born one, but to become one, your converter has to carve a Jashin symbol on a part of your body, and you have to lay bare under the moon before your Lord, then when your blood is mixed with your Converter's then Jashin will grant your partial immortality until you complete your sacrifice. Your life is completely dependent on your converter's until your sacrifice." Ryoko explained. Gaara followed her into the pool, nodding.

"Ryoko, I believe, I might like to convert. Because I love you." Gaara stated. Ryoko's eyes widened,

"Huh?"

"I love you Ryoko." Gaara came up against her and trapped her against the wall of the pool. His heady scent wreathed around her, a mixture of blood, sand, and heat. Her breath hitched as he leaned in, and his lips met hers softly, at first. She let out a whimper and his arms circled her waist an he crushed her against his chest, his teeth nipped her lips and she opened her mouth inviting him in.

"DUDE! No tonsil hockey in the pool man!" Came Kankuro's raucous yell. Gaara looked up detaching from Ryoko's mouth and glowering at his older brother. The kid was standing there in black swim trunks... and... his cat hat...

"Do you ever take that off?" Gaara growled Ryoko was so weak with rushing emotions that she just glared leaning against Gaara. Kankuro laughed and jumped in,

"Nope."


	9. Preliminaries

**Preliminaries**

I.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O. O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.I

Gaara, Kankuro, Ryoko, Sasuke, Naruto and Temari all stood together on the balcony waiting for the first pair to be called out. The letters on the screen whirred and landed on:

**Kankuro no Sabaku vs Tenten no Konoha**

"Awe man.. I don't want to fight a girl..." Kankuro grumbled.

"Hey, Kankuro-nii, you need to be careful, she's a weapon's specialist."

"Yeah, Karasu and I can take her." He purred.

"What ever Kitty." she teased. Kankuro huffed and jumped down to the floor, all showy like. Ryoko rolled her eyes at him, as did Tenten.

"Alright, begin." Hyate coughed.

"Alright lets get this over with." Kankuro sighed and grabbed the wrapping on his back and unwound it. Tenten threw a scroll that released a ton of kunai and shurikun, the sharp objects hit the body in front of Kankuro with a dull thud. A very creepy contraction stood in front of Kankuro. It was odd, a four armed humanoid with three eyes and jagged teeth. Ryoko assumed this as Karasu. Kankuro chuckled,

"Now little weapons mistress, you cant win." Kankuro controlled Karasu with one hand, and held a kunai in the other. The three humanoids fought, Kankuro only moving to deflect a weapon that got passed Karasu. The deadly dance of weapons went on for minutes before Karasu expelled a venom slick needle that stuck into Tenten's arm, and knocked her out.

"Winner by KO, Kankuro no Sabaku."

Kankuro walked up and high fived Naruto. Then the next pairing came up:

**Naruto Uzimaki vs Choji Akimichi**

"Yosh! Ill win! Believe it!" Naruto cried.

"Of course you will, Kitu-kun. Your on MY team." Ryoko purred. Naruto grinned and flipped over the railing like Kankuro had. The mach ended up being Choji running away from a mini whirlwind that Naruto created with a wind justu**.**

**Gaara no Sabaku vs Rock Lee**

Gaara scowled he didn't want to hurt the green clad boy, but he could tell the kid wouldn't give up.

"Yosh! Gai sensei!"

"Lee!"

Gai sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"LEE!"

"GAI -SENSEIIII!"

"Eesh. They are scary." Temari whispered. Gaara cringed. He might just fling the kid against the wall until he passed out. And that's what Gaara did...

**SLAM! **

"Yosh! I will not quit!"

"Jesus just pass out already!" Gaara growled. **SLAM!**

"I will not fail! The flames of youth burn STRONG!" ** SLAM! SLAM! SLAM!**

Gaara had Lee by the ankle with a bunch of sand and was smacking him against the wall.

"Give up already!" **SLAM! SLAM! SLAM! **

-10min later-

"Winner by stubborn KO, Gaara no Sabaku." Hyate coughed.

"Oh.. kami." Gaara huffed when he got to the balcony, "That kid is suborn."

Ino Yamanaka fought one of the rain gennin and won, and Shakamaru the same. A grass and a rain fought, and double KO, leaving two grass, one fought by Temari- also beat, and the other lost to Sasuke. That left Ryoko and Neji.

'Will the last two gennin come to the floor to fight." Hyate called. Ryoko and Neji faced each other. Ryoko was silent, calculating, Neji the same. Both inwardly crowed at finally facing off with the opposite. When Hyate called the mach he mved out of the way. Neji suddenly realized he had an issue. While he would be able to see through any of Ryoko's genjustu, she was a long distance fighter, and he was a close had combatant. As he was contemplating this he barley noticed the senbon that went through his calf muscle, so sharp he barley felt it.

"Hey, little Birdie... cant find your way out of your cage to find me?" Ryoko cooed to Neji. Said boy snarled and went to run at her, but his left leg collapsed under him.

"What?" he looked at his leg to see where her senbon had entered it. The skin around the miniscule hole was blackened.

"You can try and continue fighting Neji. The poison is slow acting and you'll have to baby your leg." she smirked the slow acting muscle eating venom would;d be helpful here slowing Neji down enough that she wouldn't be too badly hurt. Neji snarled and surged upward immediately slamming his palm into her stomach when she wasn't expecting it. She gasped and coughed up a fair amount of blood. Since her belly was exposed, the dark purple bruising as immediately visible.

"Bastard that hurt."She gasped and kicked him in the side of the head. He took it hard to the ear, the blow had exploded his eardrum, and blood poured out of his ear. He cursed and went into the eight trigrams sixty four palms, and rushed her, closing her teketsu. She hissed in pain as she began coughing up blood again, but grinned,

"Check mate, Hyuga." he frowned, and realized there was a pressure in his neck, and realized as he was attacking her, she had found a way to put a senbon into his pressure point.

"Ah sh..." he passed out before he could complete his curse.

"Winner, Ryoko Mitsuri." Hyate called. Gaara rushed down and caught her just as she fell over. She grinned,  
"I think I need to see a doctor."


	10. The Hospital

**The Hospital**

I.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O. O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.I

Gaara was yelling at a nurse, his eyes flashing with furry. Temari and Kankuro cowered in a corner, afraid that he would lose it. According to the head nurse the only one who could heal Ryoko was a Hyuga- but they all refused. Needless to say, Gaara was unhappy.

"Look you sorry excuse for a nurse, you fix her internal bleeding or I will make you bleed. A lot. This room will be coated in your blood. I will unleash a storm of anger and furry upon your village, they Hyuga's will die first." Gaara snarled in the Nurses face she just scowled and spit in his face,

"The Meisu are sorry excuses for ninja. I will gladly die if I can take her with."

This did not sit well with Gaara. He snarled and the gourd on his back exploded in sand. Temari screamed,

'Gaara STOP!"

Little help it did.

"You will save her or I will slowly tear your body to pieces starting with your eyes." Gaara growled as the waterfall of sand wrapped around the nurse. There was fear in her face now, but she still stayed silent. Temari pulled a radio out of her bag,

"BAKI! Gaara's lost it! He's about to kill one of the nurses here in the hospital!" Temari screamed into the radio. Baki replied fast that he was coming, but the jounen on the other line knew that he would not make it on time. If Gaara wanted to kill her, he would.

A Nurse ran into the room and screamed when she saw the scene. She tried to jump to help, but Kankuro pinned her against the wall,

"If you try and stop him he will kill you too. We can't help I'm sorry." Kankuro hissed. And he was. He didn't like it when Gaara killed. There was just so much blood. Gaara snarled in contempt as the nurse screamed in pain. A senbon stuck out of her eye.

"If you don't heal her I will stab the other one. Then I will bring you to the Hyugas. You will be a disgrace, useless to your clan." Gaara snarled. The woman stayed quiet. "You made the choice." Gaara snarled. His sand constricted snapping her ribs, legs and arms. Sand graduals filtered into her good eye socket and the woman screamed again as he slowly put pressure on her eye, blood leaked out of her wide open eye as she screamed and screamed, more blood, now mixed with sand and pieces of the eye tricked from the socket.

"Gaara." Came a soft voice. He looked up and saw a weak looking Ryoko leaning against the wall, "Gaara… stop… please."

Gaara's eyes softened and the sand retreated back onto his back, dropping the now blind woman to the floor. He walked over to her wiping the blood off his hands and cupped her face in his hands,

"Ryoko-hime…" Gaara frowned, "You should be lying down. You're hurt."

"Don't worry Tanuki-kun. Jashin won't let me die." Ryoko's red eyes were misty from pain.

"Please Ryoko… go lay down. We'll find you a healer." Gaara murmured and kidded her blood stained lips softly. Ryoko complied and went back to her cot and lay down.

"We need to find the Hyuga boy." Kankuro growled.

"No. No more pain." A girl with pink hair peeked around the corner, "Miss. Tanichi is teaching me to heal. I'm very god for a kid… I can try. All I can do is help."

"Good. Now help." Gaara growled. "I'll take this useless Hyuga to her compound.

The girl edged into Ryoko's room followed by Temari and Kankuro.

"You can help Imuoto right?" Temari whispered.

"Yes. I think her I internal wounds are minor enough." The girl whispered as to not wake the Scythe wielder.

"What's your name?" Kankuro asked.

"Haruno Sakura. I almost made it onto Ryoko-Chan's team, but I failed. Her Sasuke and Naruto worked together better." Sakura whispered as her hands took on a warm green glow and she placed them over the ever darkening bruise on Ryoko's belly.

"So you became a nurse." Temari said. Sakura nodded. "I'm glad. You… I don't think you have what it takes to kill. You're caring, you can only help." Temari smiled, then did a double take at her brother staring at the kango-shi. She shook her head and smiled,

"Im Temari, and this is my brother Kankuro. The red head is also our brother, Gaara. He has a very strong thing for Ryoko. A very strong dependence and love to say it bluntly." Temari explained.

"I know. His eyes… they are empty and devoid of emotion, unless they are looking at Ryoko-chan." Sakura smiled, "I hope someone loves me that way someday."

Back with Gaara and the Hyuga nurse, he was walking to the compound with her slung over his shoulder. He walked through the gates, his sand smacking down the two guards who tried to attack him. He walked right into the inner house and slammed his foot into the door, knocking it inwards. There was a family eating lunch there. Two young girls a woman and a man.

"You are Hiashi, the Hyuga head, right?" Gaara growled. The man stood.

"I am."

Gaara slung the woman to the ground where she whimpered from hitting the floor. The elder of the two girls screamed, and covered her violet shaded eyes. He recognized her from the forest of death.

"D-Daddy! Ge-get him out of here! He-he's ver-verry dangerous." She whimpered.

"Quiet Hinata."

"Maybe you should listen to you little girl, Hiashi. This wench"-he kicked the woman eliciting a short cream- "Refused to fix my mate. Now, she's blind, one eye useless, and the other possibly fixable. You better train you nurses that even Meisu get treated, or maybe I'll kill them next time." He snarled he turned to walk away only to be pursued by Hiashoi. Gaara turned and his sand whipped out, drawing a welt on the older man's cheek,

"You watch it old man. I am the Shukaku, Monster of Suna, don't cross me. You little girl is smart."

In the hospital Sakura was gasping, having almost finished healing Ryoko. Kankuro and Temari had shared some of their chakra, but it wasn't enough. Sakura knew her charge wouldn't die, but she didn't want to leave the job half done. Just then the red headed boy walked in followed by a shaking woman, a Hyuga.

"You can stop, Sakura. Mimo will finish. Kankuro, take her and get some food." Gaara growled and sat down next to Ryoko as the pale eyes woman too her place with shaky hands. The boy with purple paint leaped up and led Sakura out of the room. She looked up at him,

"Does Ryoko love Gaara back?"

"Yes very much. Gaara placed a brand on her when they were young and her father had brought her with him to Suna for a diplomatic visit. He feels her emotions from the brand. If she didn't love him back, h wouldn't be so happy. Ryoko is the Monster of Suna's salvation."

Sakura nodded and Kankuro's words. She decided then, Ryoko was cocky, but she was a good person as well, and she was glad she had helped heal her.

* * *

Tanuki- Raccoon

Kango-shi- nurse


End file.
